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Keele Management School News
Visiting professorship for
HRM Lecturer Jack Cao
Jack Cao, visited the Capital
University of Economics and Business
(CUEB, Beijing, China) as a Visiting
Professor in the School of Labor
Economics. During his visit Jack
taught classes on a ‘Trade Unions and
Labour Movement’ module, undertook
research networking, presented a
paper at an internal research seminar
and attended a conference.
CUEB’s School of Labor Economics
accommodates the largest group of
academic staff in the field of labour
relations in China, with some high
profile scholars in labour economics,
labour relations and human resource
management. During the visit, Jack
had extensive discussions with faculty
members and school management
about expanding research networking
and collaborations, including a
proposed comparative research
centre for industrial relations, and
plans for student exchange and staff
visits. The strengthening connections
between the two institutions were
discussed, with potential opportunities
being explored for both schools to
develop further collaboration on
research and teaching in future.
KMS Students who graduated with more than a degree!
Lee Stringer and Agnes Zhang graduated from KMS with more than a degree, they
also became husband and wife.
Agnes told us their story:
“Lee and I met in 2013 during his
Chinese language class, whilst I was
in my last year at Keele University.
Lee (in his second year) was studying
Business Management and Human
Resource Management (HRM) with
the Keele Management School
(KMS); whilst I was studying under an
exchange programme between the
KMS and the School of Finance of
the Lixin University of Commerce in
Shanghai, China.
The first time Lee and I spoke was
when he turned to ask me a question
during his Chinese language class,
which I often attended to support
the language learning unit. Soon
after, we added each other on
Facebook so that Lee could ask me
questions relating to Chinese; whilst
I asked him questions regarding
academic writing.
Shortly after, Lee and I found
that we had very similar ideas and
interests and so we began to date.
Once I had graduated from Keele
(leaving Lee to finish his last year),
I went to the Queen Mary University
of London to pursue an MSc in
Banking in 2014. The long distance
relationship proved challenging for
us both, but, we persevered and
managed to speak every night as well
as often meeting up at weekends in
Keele Library to work.
After graduation, Lee proposed
to me in our favourite Chinese
restaurant in Manchester. We got
married soon after our graduations
(having achieved good results).
In 2015, Lee and I were offered
employment at Keele University
(which makes us colleagues!). More
recently, Lee has been offered a
scholarship from the University of
Manchester in HRM which is due to
commence in September 2016.
The biggest thing I feel that we have
both learnt from this experience is
how life can change unexpectedly.
Things happen in life that are often
beyond any planning or control and
so can prove challenging at times.
What’s important is that we both
persevered and were able to rely
upon the aspects of our lives that
provided us with stability. Thank you
to all the reliable staff that provided
us with stability at the KMS.”